A clipper ship which was built at East Boston, Mass., in 1854 and was named for the Shawnee Indian Chief who led his forces against U.S. troops under Gen. Anthony Wayne near Toledo, Ohio, on 20 August 1794.
Blue Jacket, a C2-S-B1 type freighter, was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 183) on 23 October 1941 at Oakland, Calif., by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; launched on 14 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward U. Read; and delivered to her operators, the United Fruit Co., on 25 March 1943.
Acquired by the Navy, from the Army, on 1 March 1950, Blue Jacket was classified as a refrigerator ship, T-AF-51, and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), Atlantic Area. She operated as such, lifting cargoes of various kinds (mostly consisting of refrigerated stores) between the United States and European ports through the late 1960's. Taken out of service with MSTS on 19 August 1970, Blue Jacket was transferred on that day to the temporary custody of the Maritime Administration for lay-up in the James River. On 1 September 1971, she was transferred to the permanent custody of that agency; and her name was struck from the Navy list on 19 October 1971. Sold to Andy International, Inc., of Houston, Texas, on 1 March 1973, the ship was later scrapped.
Robert J. Cressman
27 January 2006
